Bulgaria would like to acquire 150 new combat vehicles for its armed forces.

According to the "Sofia Globe" newspaper website, Bulgarian Defense Minister Krassimir Karakachanov has decided to ask for Cabinet approval for two acquisition projects, for 16 fighter jets and 150 combat vehicles for the land forces. Bulgaria needs to modernize its land forces and increase their capabilities to response to new combat missions.

Two Soviet-made BRDM-2-based anti-tank vehicles of the Bulgarian army, 2006 Army day parade preparations. (Picture source Wikipedia)

Defense Minister of Bulgaria, Krassimir Karakachanov will ask to Bulgarian cabinet an approval to acquire 150 new combat vehicles for the Bulgarian armed forces. This decision was taken after a meeting of the Defense Council on April 4, 2018 with the goal to modernize armed forces of the country.

The Bulgarian Defense Ministry said that "The main objective of this acquisition of armoured vehicles for the land forces was to create modern capabilities of the Bulgarian armed forces according to NATO and allied standards and to offer new operational capabilities for the protection of Bulgaria’s national sovereignty and independent", said Bulgarian Defense Ministry Krassimir Karakachanov. “Bulgaria needs to develop and build national defense industrial capability and support the lifecycle of military equipment and weapons”, he added.

The acquisition of these new armoured combat vehicles should be spread over a period of 12 years. The estimated spending for this project could reach an amount of 1.2 billion leva (€614 million).

"For this budget, a billion leva (around €500 million) is for the purchase of combat vehicles and 200 million leva ($100 million) for the acquisition of systems and special equipment, said the Bulgarian Defense Ministry said.

Currently Bulgarian army use old Soviet-made combat vehicles as the BRDM-2 4x4 reconnaissance vehicle and modernized version of the Soviet-made BTR-60PB 8x8 armoured vehicle personnel carrier. There is a few number of modern combat vehicles in service with Bulgarian armed forces as the Sandcat used by the military police and 4 Maxxpro MRAPs, Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles.